First off, I've disabled the ads on these videos. In the three years and change that I've been doing this, I've earned a whopping $4.71 in ad views and clicks. Considering that I won't actually get paid anything until I've earned at least $20 well that means I'd be looking at another roughly 12 years before I could hope to actually see any money from this little project. Not really worth it if you ask me. I didn't start this blog to make money, I did it to share the things that I come up with in the kitchen. And let's face it, the ads are just plain annoying. So there you have it, please enjoy your ad-free EFAW. Now to the fun stuff.
A friend asked me to come up with a variant on Shepherd's pie using turkey. This is what I came up with. My bill for this one was just shy of $28. I know that's way above my usual goal. The bill would have been more like $14 had I not been out of some of my staples - mostly herbs. (That's where they get you.) I had to buy pretty much everything but the potato flakes, garlic, and olive oil.
EQUIPMENT:
Large skillet
Large casserole dish (I used 9"x13")
Cookie sheet (not essential, but a good idea)
Sauce pan
Pan for potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped between 1/4" and 1/2"
1 parsnip, chopped between 1/4" and 1/2"
5 crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 C frozen peas
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb chicken breast, chopped*
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
2 C chicken stock
1 tsp dry sage
1 tsp dry thyme
dash of allspice
dash of nutmeg
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 C mashed potatoes**
1/3 C shredded cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
HOW TO:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Solids:
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
When hot, add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add carrots and parsnips and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes.
Add chicken and turkey and cook until cooked through.
Add peas and mix in.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Gravy:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
Add flour and whisk well. Allow to cook whisking occasionally for 2-4 minutes.
Whisk in stock a little at a time. (This helps avoid lumps.)
Add sage, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, worchestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt & pepper to taste. Mix well and bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to thicken to desired consistency.
Assembly:
In casserole dish, mix meat & veggie mixture with the gravy. Be sure to remove the bay leaf!
Spread mashed potatoes on top. Do your best to make a good seal at the edges of the dish.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Place casserole on a cookie sheet to help keep your oven clean should the dish boil over at all, and bake at 400° for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.
Music for this episode was Family Reunion (Part 2) by The Hybiscus Journals. You can get it here.
* Put the chicken in the freezer for about 15 minutes before chopping. This will make things much easier.
** I used instant mashed potatoes for convenience, adding the same amount of garlic powder as salt. If you have a mashed potato recipe that you prefer then by all means, use it.
A friend asked me to come up with a variant on Shepherd's pie using turkey. This is what I came up with. My bill for this one was just shy of $28. I know that's way above my usual goal. The bill would have been more like $14 had I not been out of some of my staples - mostly herbs. (That's where they get you.) I had to buy pretty much everything but the potato flakes, garlic, and olive oil.
EQUIPMENT:
Large skillet
Large casserole dish (I used 9"x13")
Cookie sheet (not essential, but a good idea)
Sauce pan
Pan for potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped between 1/4" and 1/2"
1 parsnip, chopped between 1/4" and 1/2"
5 crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 C frozen peas
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb chicken breast, chopped*
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp flour
2 C chicken stock
1 tsp dry sage
1 tsp dry thyme
dash of allspice
dash of nutmeg
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 C mashed potatoes**
1/3 C shredded cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
HOW TO:
Preheat oven to 400°.
Solids:
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
When hot, add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add carrots and parsnips and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook 3-4 minutes.
Add chicken and turkey and cook until cooked through.
Add peas and mix in.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Gravy:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
Add flour and whisk well. Allow to cook whisking occasionally for 2-4 minutes.
Whisk in stock a little at a time. (This helps avoid lumps.)
Add sage, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, worchestershire sauce, bay leaf, salt & pepper to taste. Mix well and bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to thicken to desired consistency.
Assembly:
In casserole dish, mix meat & veggie mixture with the gravy. Be sure to remove the bay leaf!
Spread mashed potatoes on top. Do your best to make a good seal at the edges of the dish.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Place casserole on a cookie sheet to help keep your oven clean should the dish boil over at all, and bake at 400° for about 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.
Music for this episode was Family Reunion (Part 2) by The Hybiscus Journals. You can get it here.
* Put the chicken in the freezer for about 15 minutes before chopping. This will make things much easier.
** I used instant mashed potatoes for convenience, adding the same amount of garlic powder as salt. If you have a mashed potato recipe that you prefer then by all means, use it.
